ALYANSANG TAPAT SA LASALLISTA

MARCOS, SOCIAL
MEMOIRS, AND
LASTING IMPACTS

SHEN PINEDA
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 Marcos Rise to Power
Quick Recap
Marcos was elected president in 1965. He ruled
from 1965 to 1986 (20 years).
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Sept. 21, 1972 - Marcos threw the nation into its

darkest period through Proclamation No. 1081
declaring martial law.

The Costs of Dictatorship

Sunken in Poverty - six out of 10 families were
poor by the time the Marcos regime ended.
Debt Accumulation - from $0.36 billion in 1961, the
external debt of the Philippines “skyrocketed” to
$28.26 billion in 1986.
Massive Corruption - stole between $5 billion and
$10 billion from the country’s resources.
 Marcos Rise to Power
The Costs of Dictatorship
Media Censorship - forced some 392 media
outlets to shut down and only permitted 3 to
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operate which are: the Daily Express, TV Channel 9,

and the Kanlaon Broadcasting System.
Rigid Political and Judicial System - Marcos was
super-executive, super-court, super-legislature,
and a 1-man continuing Con-Con (Constitutional
Convention).
Human Rights Violations - 75, 730 persons filed
claim against violence and abuse but only 11,103
were recognized.
Curtailing of Rights and Liberties - Some 70,000
people were branded as enemies of state (a.k.a
progressive groups and people who dared to stand
up to the dictator)
 Philippines
Today
Rise of the Dictator's Son and Strongman's
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Daughter
Significance of 2022 National Election - Branded as a
"battle of good versus evil" as the Marcos-Duterte
tandem symbolized dynasty, autocracy, and impunity -
an antecedent to Duterte's regime; Robredo-Pangilinan's
run on the other hand was viewed as a symbol of hope,
integrity, accountability, and democracy. Hence, typifying
an "end of era to the cycle of abuses, violence, and
corruption."
The Faults in the 2022 National Election - (1) Large
Disinformation Campaign and Threats of Historical
Revisionism, (2) Sexism and Gender Stereotype, (3)
Personality, Machine, and Patronage Politics, (4) Upsurge
of Echo Chambers and Highly - Divided Campaign, and
(5) Non- Ideological Alliances.
 Philippines
Today
Rise of the Dictator's Son and Strongman's
ALYANSANG TAPAT SA LASALLISTA

Daughter
Significance of 2022 National Election - Branded as a
"battle of good versus evil" as the Marcos-Duterte
tandem symbolized dynasty, autocracy, and impunity -
an antecedent to Duterte's regime; Robredo-Pangilinan's
run on the other hand was viewed as a symbol of hope,
integrity, accountability, and democracy. Hence, typifying
an "end of era to the cycle of abuses, violence, and
corruption."
The Faults in the 2022 National Election - (1) Large
Disinformation Campaign and Threats of Historical
Revisionism, (2) Sexism and Gender Stereotype, (3)
Personality, Machine, and Patronage Politics, (4) Upsurge
of Echo Chambers and Highly - Divided Campaign, and
(5) Non- Ideological Alliances.
 "Trickle Down" Effect
Sara Duterte as Secretary of Education - Issue:
education expert is needed to understand the
deep-seated problem in this sector. Additionally,
ALYANSANG TAPAT SA LASALLISTA

threats of degeneration to the country's sense of

history and grasp of truth is also stressed by

On Education critics.
The Mandatory ROTC Bill - Since Duterte's time,
talks on the resumption of Mandatory ROTC has
been manifested. Moreover, in December 2022,
the House of Representative passed a bill seeking
to legitimize the resumption of the MROTC
program. As of 2023, the bill is on its third and
final reading, aggresively lobbied by its principal
sponsors namely Speaker Martin Romualdez,
Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Tingog Party-
list Representatives Yedda Romualdez and Jude
Acidre.
 "Trickle Down" Effect
Tuition and Other Fees Increase in Universities -
tuition fees per year in higher education schools
cost around P150,000 while the regular Filipino
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household only earns P133,000 a year. All thanks

to the Higher Education Act of 1994, amended
through CHED Memo Order 3, s. 2012.
On Education Budget Cuts on Education - According to the
General Appropriations Act s. 2023, Php710.6-
Billion would be allocated for the education
budget, whereas P150 million is in
intel/confidential fund. Yet,the slashing on
funding for state university and colleges is still
rampant - affecting learning spaces, on-campus
health facilities, hiring of nurses, mass testing,
medical fund for treatment, and student aid
programs
Learning Crisis and Neoliberal Attacks on
Education - promotes liberalization, privatization,
and deregulation.
 "Trickle Down" Effect
Third and Final Reading of House Bill 7352 - the
implementing bill for Charter Change via
Constitutional Convention - votes were 301-7-0
On Human (pro- concon) in the House of Representatives.
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But why is con-con dangerous? Former Chief

Rights Justice Reynato Puno, himself an advocate of
shifting to Federalism, warned that appointing
and General members of the convention solely from the
results of elections might lead to political
Security dynasties controlling the entire process.
Still No Talks of Peace Talks - the current
government has no plans of resuming peace talks.
Hence, it gives public "legitimacy" to the absurdity
of the terrorism claims perpetrated by NPA. With
this, "terrorism" claims and armed narratives are
more likely to be controlled by the government's
armed wing such as the AFP-PNP faction (Easier
to brand progressive groups as terrorists, can
even claim wrongful deaths of civilians as
"casualties" to the protracted war).
 "Trickle Down" Effect
On the Enhanced Defense Cooperation
Agreement (EDCA) with the US-Imperialist
Superpower - an offshoot of the Mutual Defense
On Human Treaty (MDT) with provisions that allows
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American bases to be established in the country,

Rights specifically for the current proposed provisions,
the goal is to build new sites accordingly for:
and General Interoperability
Security Capacity building towards AFP modernization
Strengthening AFP for external defense
Maritime security
Maritime domain awareness
Humanitarian assistance and disaster response
(HADR)

Yet, can BBM demand that the Philippine government

be consulted first before the US military launches any
operation from any of these sites? EDCA's written
text says nothing about this at all.
 "Trickle Down" Effect
On the VFA with Japan - Last February 2023,
Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Kishida met in
Tokyo and agreed to "increase the defense
On Human capabilities of their own countries and further
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strengthen overall security cooperation." Marcos

Rights Jr's main argument? the agreement will protect
the countries’ interests, but also to allow the
and General “continuing safe passage” through the South
China Sea.
Security My verdict? So long as there is an imbalanced on
the acquisition and cross-servicing agreement and a
reciprocal access agreement, the Philippines should
not in all means, sign these agreements.

Threats to Progressive Groups, Institutions, and

Individuals - democracy and truth are severely
under attack as draconian policies (ATL, WoN,
withdrawal to ICC) and abuses (death of Bataan
5, aerial bombing threat to Rodriguez Rizal, etc.)
 "Trickle Down" Effect
Jeepney Phaseout/ PUV Modernization- Recent
transport strike confirmed what PUV drivers feels
about the policydueto the following reasons:
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> A traditional jeepney costs around P150,000 to

On Economic P250,000. A modern e-jeepney would force drivers
and operators to cough up as much as P2.8 million.
Conditions > Subsidies are not enough to cover the big burden
that drivers are forced to endure in acquiring these
modern jeepneys.

> Regular diesel-powered jeepneys contribute 15%

of the total particulate matter emissions in Metro
Manila. Hence, air pollution reduction efforts “would
be negligible if modernization efforts focused on
jeepneys compared to private vehicles.”
 "Trickle Down" Effect
Skyrocketing Prices and Neglect on Demands for
Minimum-Wage Increase - The cost of food,
utilities, and rent has driven the inflation rate up to
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8.7%, according to national statistician Dennis

On Economic Mapa. Fastest inflation rate yet since 2008.
Additionally. the demand for Php750 minimum
Conditions wage is still highly stagnant (current is Php570).
Maharlika Investment Fund is Unconstitutional -
uncovers Marcos Jr.'s abuse of discretion when he
certified the MIF as urgent. Moreover, the bill
seeks to establish the country’s own sovereign
wealth fund (state-owned investment fund
commonly financed by a country's surplus
revenues or reserves instead of re-appropriating
it to basic sectors). This has been challenged by
the Makabayan Bloc.


WHAT ARE THE

TAKEAWAYS IN ALL
OF THESE?
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History sets as precdent Fighting disinformation There is hope beyond

to the current conditions is not just the job of elections. Civic Society
of the country. Hence, researchers and Organizations (CSO)
history is dynamic and journalists alike, but a need tons of
cyclical rather than work for everyone. strengthening.
linear.
 WHAT CAN YOUTH DO?
ALYANSANG TAPAT SA LASALLISTA

AROUSE ORGANIZE

MOBILIZE
A world of timid and
apathetic youth will
merely feed all the
regimes of injustice
and exploitation with a
constant flow of
manpower.